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Weddings

About

Nestled at the base of Mount San Jacinto lies The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn and the famous O’Donnell House. The house, designed by architect William Charles Tanner in 1925, rests quietly on the bluff above the Palm Springs Art Museum and served as the winter home of Thomas O’Donnell and his wife, Dr. Winnifred Willis Jenny. Then known as Ojo del Desierto, or Eye of the Desert, the beautiful 4,100 square foot Medieval home evokes the grandeur and opulence of the roaring 20s.

A stunning mountain backdrop creates the perfect setting for your ideal ceremony and celebration. The lush desert gardens will envelop your guests in a fairytale-like setting, allowing your wedding vision to come to life. Settled on four acres of land, the patio at the O’Donnell House presents a picturesque venue for a fun and lively reception celebration, along with gorgeous views of the mountains and valley below. In 2011, The O’Donnell House was added to the National Register of Historic Places and will create wedding memories to last a lifetime.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$12,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$10,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$12,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$10,000

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Event Planning
Lighting/Sound
Parking
Set Up
Tables

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

2

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Garden
Historic Building
Inn/B&B
Rooftop

What kind of settings are available?

Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors

What event items are available?

Chairs
Dance Floor
Lighting
Tables

What transportation and access is available?

Parking

What months are included in your peak season?

March
April
May
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
September
November
December

Reviews of O'Donnell House

Robyn
Robyn Sent on 11/25/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic beautiful wedding venue

We had our wedding last week at the O Donnell house and it was just as beautiful as all of the photos online! Our guests loved the location, blooming flowers and view. Lisa was extremely organized and made the entire process so easy. Thanks again for making our wedding vision a reality!
C
Cutter Sent on 04/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The moment, my wife and I step foot on this property we knew this was our venue! We could not have picked a better spot!

This quaint and picture property with its gorgeous 1930s house was the perfect match for the vision my wife and I had for our special day. What made it even better was our wedding coordinator Lisa and her staff! Her attention to detail and guidance made our special day absolutely perfect! Seriously, not one thing went wrong… Credit to to Lisa and her professionalism and talents... it was a super smooth process from beginning to end. The manner in which the venue is set up is timeless, and super easy for guests to mingle. Access to every part of the property was very easy… with ample bathrooms, and room inside, with a nice, eloquent fireplace burning, if your guests get cold. Could not have been more romantic and fun of an event... This place is dialed in!
Taylor
Taylor Sent on 04/18/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Best Venue in Palm Springs

Wow - this venue is the most incredible place for a wedding. Lisa Sipe and her team were a huge part in making our day amazing but the venue alone is stunning. Our guests are still raving about how magical of an experience it was. There are a lot of rules you will need to follow if you're considering a wedding here, and you will not be able to use the beautiful farmhouse tables they show in a lot of their photos online (they stopped allowing it), but I have no regrets about having our wedding at the O'Donnell House. I hope I get invited to someone's wedding here one day so I can go back!!!
H
Hannah Sent on 11/08/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing- such a great venue!

Lisa and the other staff at the O'Donnell House were incredible to work with! Our previous wedding venue cancelled on us 3 months prior to our wedding and we were scrambling to find somewhere else to hold our event. We came across O'Donnell House and we are so lucky we did! They don't normally hold weddings during the time our's was scheduled as it is reseeding season in Palm Springs so the lawn area isn't normally accessible. They threw together a plan for us though and the layout was still going to be incredible with the ceremony and reception on the terrace overlooking downtown Palm Springs. We ended up getting really lucky and there was a scheduling mistake with the gardeners- they hadn't done the reseeding yet so we got to use the lawn :) Regardless though, the venue is just beautiful and we got so many compliments from guests and those at home that saw our photos!
Given that our previous venue cancelled our event, we had to replan a lot of the wedding day including catering, etc. Lisa was on top of it and helped us with every step. She brought things to my attention that I hadn't considered before and we are so thankful and grateful for her!
Overall, we would absolutely recommend this venue to anyone! We are honestly grateful that our previous venue cancelled- this place exceeded all of our expectations and gave us the perfect wedding day!
C
Celia Sent on 05/11/2013
5 out of 5 rating
This was a truly fantastic venue. The grounds and the view are both stunning. Also, as it is a private venue, you don't have to worry about interruptions from other guests as you might have to at the hotels that are also popular venues in Palm Springs.
E
Elizabeth Sent on 12/18/2012
5 out of 5 rating
The O'Donnell house run by Laurie Lund from The Events Department" was the most outstanding venue to have our daughter's fall wedding. Not only was the view outstanding with a complete 360 degree profile of Palm Springs throughout the evening, but the food supplied by Tony, Jean-Paul and the professional staff at La Vallauris met our wildest dreams for innovative taste, presentation and service.
Laurie Lund was an outstanding coordinator throughout the months before the wedding and then during the entire wedding day from start to finish. I never felt more comfortable as a Mother of the Bride knowing that everything was under control...and not mine!
We highly recommend the entire professional venue and staff!
And our wedding was SEPTEMBER 29, 2012!!!!!
Kristen
Kristen Sent on 10/02/2012
5 out of 5 rating
This residence is beyond!!!! Guests will be blown away with the house and views of the desert area. The venue has great energy and is very intimate. One of the best nights of our lives!!!
L
Ld Sent on 04/26/2014
4.6 out of 5 rating
We give the venue itself 5+ stars...it was truly amazing and we'd select it again, hands down. We used a coordinator, not the all inclusive "deluxe package", so dealing with the unique aspects of the venue location, kitchen/catering requirements, delivery schedule, etc were challenging at times. Just be prepared for that, but otherwise...a truly amazing venue!
A
Adam Sent on 03/16/2012
4 out of 5 rating
The O'Donnel house is a phenominal location in Palm Springs. The property is immaculately kept and the ceremony areas garden is exquisite. Florist not required. The staff who work there are efficient and friendly. DO NOT pay too much attention to the ridiculous contracts and paperwork they want you to sign, its enough to put you off signing the contract. The location and staff are good! Definitely recommend this location.
B
Brittany Sent on 11/18/2023
1 out of 5 rating

Will not answer inquiry for wedding

Do not recommend as it’s been weeks trying to get ahold of them for pricing and a tour and no response back. Every time I call the number listed, they give Chris smith email and he has not responded
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

10

Map

O'Donnell House frequently asked questions

O'Donnell House includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • Event Planning
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The space offered by O'Donnell House for wedding events is known for:
  • Garden
  • Historic Building
  • Inn/B&B
  • Rooftop
O'Donnell House offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Uncovered Outdoor
O'Donnell House offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
O'Donnell House offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
O'Donnell House offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Lighting
  • Tables
O'Donnell House is recommended by 90% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.5 in quality of service, 4.5 in average response time, 4.5 in professionalism, 4.5 in value and 4.3 in flexibility.
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